Coin testing device



33 c. F. wi-:BB 1,932,716

COIN TESTING DEVICE Filed Oct. 6, 1932 ffl.

Patented Oct. 31, 1933 UNITED STATES COIN TESTING DEVICE Christopher Frederick Webb, Eastcote, Middlesex, England, assigner to Bellrlfunch Company Limited, London, England Application October '6,

Serial No. 636,603,

and in Great Britain @ctober 13,1931

9 Claims.

This invention is for improvements in and relating to coin-testing devices and more particularly to such devices for use with coin-freed machines.

According to the invention, there is provided a coin detecting mechanism which comprises means arranged to receive a coin and thereafter travel with same through a predetermined path during at least a part of which the coin is retained frictionally by said means, the path and the said means being so designed that a coin of definite physical characteristics is released by said means after the coin has travelled a definite distance along said path and discharged into a preselected receiving means, any other coin being released into subsidiary receiving means. v

The invention further comprises a coin-testing device which consists of a balance provided with means arranged to receivea coin and to engage with 'at least one face thereof in such a manner that the coin moves the balance and is automatically discharged therefrom (for example, under the influence of gravity) into one of a plurality of receiving means determined by the degree of frictional engagement between the face of the coin and the means on the balance.

Thus,v a coin of a predetermined weight and having an impression upon'its face which pro-` duces a predetermined degree of friction between the coin and the receiving means therefor upon the balance, may be arranged, when the device is employed with a coin-'freed machine, to be discharged automatically into a chute which conducts the coin to release the mechanism for the machine, whereas if the coin is greater than the u predetermined weight and/or has no impression upon its faces, or impressions which produce less than the requisite egree of friction between the coin and the said receiving means, it may be automatically discharged into a chute which conducts the coin to the exterior of the machine without actuating the same. Likewise, if the coin is less than the predetermined weight or bears impressions upon its faces which produce more than the requisite degree of friction between the coin and the receiving means on the balance, the coin may be arranged to be automatically discharged from the machine.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, reference is directed to the accompanying drawing, in which:-

Figure k1 illustrates in front elevation a cointesting device constructed in accordance with this invention;

Figure 2 is a plan drawn to a larger scale of a portion of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 illustrates a detail looking in the direction indicated by the lines and arrows 4 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a view similar to a portion of Figure 3 but drawn to a larger scale and showing a coin associated with the mechanism;

Figure '6 is aview similar to Figure 5 illustrating a modiiication of the invention, and

Figure 7 is a view of the face of one denomination of coin which the modification of the invention illustrated in Figure 6 is arranged to select.

Referring to the drawing, the coin-testing device comprises a balance consisting of two oppositely directed arms 1, 2 pivotallymounted upon a spindle 3 carried by a frame 4. The arm 2 is provided with a counterweight 5 which is arranged to maintain the other arm in anormally raised position against a stop 6. The counter;- weight 5 is formed as a nut and is adjustable along the arm 2 which is screw-threaded to receive the weight. A screw 7 is provided for locking the nut in any selected position of adjustment. The arm l is provided with a platform 8 formed of two discs secured togetherand to the arm 1 by a screw 9 and a ring of relatively small steel balls 10 are located between the discs so that the upper portions thereof extend through holes in the upper disc and are located slightly above the upper surface thereof. The plane of the upper surface of the ring of balls may be adjusted about an axis parallel to the spindle 3 by means of a pair of set screwsll, the ad-` justment of which rocks the platform 8 about a pair of knife edges 12 mounted upon the arm 1 and against which the'lower of the ,discs of the platform is pressed by the screw 9, a certain'degree of slackness between the threads of the screw 9 and the threads of the hole in the arm l with which the screw 9 engages permitting the necessary rocking movement between the' platform 8 and the said arm to effect the adjustment oi the platform.` Three pins 13 are mounted upon the platform 8 and are arranged to extend verticallyV from the upper face thereof, one pin being located upon the edge of the platform nearest the spindle 3, whilst the other two pins are located upon diametrically opposite sides of the platform.

The apparatus above described is arranged to be incorporated, for example, in a coin-freed machine, and a coin receivingV chute 14, Figure l, is arranged to conduct an inserted coin on to the platform 8, whilst a pair of chutes 15, 16 are arranged below the chute 1,4 in a manner and for a purpose hereinafter described.

The operation of the device is as followst- The ring of balls l0 are located upon a circle of a diameter which ensures that the balls may be located just within the lateralrrim of the'con of predetermined denomination with which the device is intended to be employed, as shown at A in Figure 5. When a coin is received by the platform 8 from the chute 14, the pins 13 ylocate the coin concentrically with respect to the ring of balls 10, so that the lateral rim of the coin encircles the ring of balls. When the coin .is received by the platform 8 the arm 1 moves downwardly against the influence of the counterweight and it will be readily appreciated that the downward velocity of the platform may be regulated by adjusting the position of the counterweight 5 along the arm 2 of the balance. A coin of the correct denomination with the necessary characteristics of the lateral rim thereof to provide a predetermined degree of friction between the rim and the balls 10 causes the coin to remain upon the platform until the platform moves into line with the chute 16 and a pair of extensions 17 are provided upon thebottom of the chute 16 which are arranged to pass through a pair of correspondingly arranged slots 18 formed within the platform 8 so that the coin is removed from the platform and thereafter travels down the chute 16 which may be arranged to take the coin to any desired point of the machine to perform a releasing operationfor the mechanism of the machine or other function. If, however, the

rim of the coin is insufficient to provide the requisite degree of friction with the balls l0, the coin will slide off the platform before or when it reaches the chute l5 which may be arranged to conduct the coin to the exterior of the machine.

It will be appreciated that the centrifugalV force developed in the coin by the downward movement of the arm 1 may be arranged to play a considerable part in determining at which point in the path of movement of the platform'S the coin leaves the said platform and various regulations of the device are possible for controlling the discharge of the coin into one of a plurality of chutes in accordance with its weightand the degree of frictional engagement between the `face of the coin and balls 1G. If desired, the extensions 17 may be dispensed with and an additional chute located below the chute 16 which is arranged to receive coins in excess of a predetermined weight andv which, therefore, cause the arm 1 to move downwardly at a greater speed than a coin of thek predetermined weight and the additional chute would also receive coins which were of the normal weight, but which possessed facial characteristics producing a greater frictional engagement between the coin and the balls 10 than that produced by the normal facial characteristics.

It will be appreciated that when the coin has been discharged to one of the chutes, the counterweight 5 restores the balance to the normal position illustrated in Figure 1.

In the arrangement illustrated in Figure 6, a ring of pointed projections 10a preferably of hardened steel are provided upon the platform 8 in lieu of the ring of balls 10 and in the construction illustrated, the diameter of the circle upon which the projections are located is such that the projections may engage within the ring of lettering indicated at 18a in Figure '7; it will be appreciated, of course, that the coin illustrated in Figure 7 is drawn to a smaller scale than Figure 6. The pins 13 are arranged so as to locate the coin with the ring of lettering 18a in engagement with the projections 10a as illustrated in Figure 6. It will be appreciated that in the event of the insertion into the machine of a coin or token which whilst being` provided with a facial rim lacks the ring of lettering 18a, as soon as the arm l moves downwardly and reaches a position slightly below the horizontal. the coin will slip outwardly of the arm and will be discharged into the chute 15, either due to the fact that its has gained sufcient momentum for the rim of the coin to pass over the projections 10a or because the outward movement of the coin causes the outer edge thereof to extend beyond the platform 8 as indicated at A in Figure 6, so that it will be intercepted by the adjacent end `of the chute during the downward movement of the arm 1, whereby the coin being lifted from the projection 10a readily slides into the chute 15.

It is to be understood that the balls 10 or projections 10a may be arranged to co-act with any other particular facial characteristics of a coin which the device is arranged to select and it will be appreciated that the invention thus provides an extremely sensitive coin detecting device.

It is also to be understood that, if desired, the discharge of the coins from the platform may be effected solely by centrifugal action and in such a construction the initial position of the platform 8 would preferably be higher than that indicated in Figure l, so as to ensure that sufficient centrifugal force is developed in the coin before the arm l reaches the horizontal position to effect the discharge of the coin into one of a plurality of chutes similar to the chutes 15, 16 hereinbefore described. In this arrangement the movement of the arm l may be arranged to be accelerated by mechanical means etc.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America is:-

1. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a balance, one arm of which is normally raised and is provided with a plurality of elements arranged in ring formation and adapted to receive a coin and to extend just within the rim on one face of the coin so as to engage frictionally therewith, means for locating said coin in correct position upon said elements, said balance being movable automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said coin receiving arm and disposed at predetermined points along said path such that the friction between the elements and the rim of a coin of predetermined denomination is overcome by the potential energy developed in the coin when the same reaches a predetermined point along said path and is discharged into one of said receiving means identified solely with the said denomination of coins.

2. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a balance, one arm of which is normally raised and is provided with a plurality of elements arranged in ring formation and adapted to receive a coin and to extend within a ring of lettering upon one face of a coin of predetermined denomination, means for locating said reaches a predetermined point along said path and is discharged into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of said denomination.

. 3. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a balance, one arm of which is normally raised and which isfprovided with a plurality of projections arranged in ring formation and adapted to receive a coin so that the said projections extend into and engage frictionally with predetermined facial irregularities of a coin of predetermined denomination, means for loeating said coin in the correct position relatively to said projections, said arm being movable downwards automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along the said path such that the friction between the projections and a coin of the predetermined denomination is overcome by the potential energy developed in the coin when the same reaches a predetermined point along said path and is discharged into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of said denomination.

4. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a pivotally mounted balance, one arm of which is provided with a coin receiving device constituted by a plurality of projections adjustable collectively relatively to the balance and adapted to receive a coin and to extend into the irregularities of one face thereof so as to engage frictionally therewith, means for locating said coin in a predetermined position relatively to said projections, said arm of the balance being movable downwards automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along said path such that the friction between the projections and a coin of predetermined weight and surface characteristics is overcome by the force of gravity when the arm reaches a predetermined downward inclination so that only a coin of predetermined denomination is discharged from the device into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of the said denomination.

5. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a pivotally mounted balance, one arm of which is provided with a coin receiving device constituted by a plurality of projections adjustable collectively relatively'to the balance and adapted to receive a coin and to extend into irregularities constituted by a ring of lettering on one face thereof, means for locating said coin in a predetermined position relatively to said projections, said arm of the balance being movable downwards automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along said path such that the friction between the projections and the ring of lettering is overcome by the force of gravity when the arm reaches a predetermined downward inclination so that a coin of predetermined denomination is discharged from the device into one of said receivingY means identified solely with coins of the said denomination.

6. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a pivoted balance, one arm of which is normally raised and which is provided with a ring of balls arranged in a plane parallel to the pivot of said balance and adapted to receive a coin so that the said balls extend just within and engage frictionally with the rim of one face of a coin of predetermined denomination, means for locating said coin concentrically relatively to said balls, said arm being movable downwards automatically by the Weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along the said path such that the friction between the balls and a coin of the predetermined denomination is overcome by gravity when the arm reaches a predetermined downward position and is discharged into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of said denomination.

7. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a pivotally mounted balance, one arm of which is provided with a coin receiving device constituted by a plurality of pointed projections adjustable collectively relatively to` the balance and adapted to receive a coin so that the points extend into the irregularities of one face thereof so as to engage frictionally therewith, means for locating said coin in a predetermined position relatively to said projections, said arm of the balance being movable downwards .automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along said path such that the friction between the projections and a coin of predetermined weight and surface characteristics is overcome by the force of gravity when the arm reaches a predetermined downward inclination so that only a coin of predetermined denomination is discharged from the device into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of the said denomination.

8. A coin testing device which comprises in combination a pivotally mounted balance, one arm of which is provided with a coin receiving device constituted by a plurality of pointed projections adjustable collectively relatively to the balance and adapted to receive a coin so that said points extend into irregularities constituted by a ring of lettering on one face thereof, means for locating said coin with said lettering resting on said points, said arm of the balance being movable downwards automatically by the weight of said coin and a plurality of coin receiving means arranged along the path of movement of said arm and disposed at predetermined points along said path such that the friction between the projections and the ring of lettering is overcome by the force of gravity on said coin when the arm reaches a predetermined downward inclination so that a coin of predetermined denomination Vis discharged from the device into one of said receiving means identified solely with coins of the said denomination.

9. A coin testing device which comprises in combination, a coin chute, a counterweighted balance one arm of which is normally raised and provided with a plurality of pointed projections in ring formation adapted to receive a coin from said chute, means for locating said coin so that when of a specified denomination the coin rests on said points with a predetermined ring of lettering on one face thereof in frictional engagement with said points, said arm being movable downwardly automatically by the weight of the coin so that a coin of said specified denomination slides off said points only when said arm reaches a predetermined downward inclination and the said coin is thereby discharged automatically into an identifying receiving means provided therefor, for the purpose specified.

CHRISTOPHER FREDERICK WEBB. 

